May 17, 2012

an ordinary day. An extraordinary god.

over the past 12 hours, our story has been watched more than 86,000 times. this is astounding. and to ian in particular, it is worth it: "i would do this (disability) all over again if i knew it would affect this many people. god is glorious."

and so here we are, knowing that literally thousands of people just today have hopefully somehow seen god through our marriage. that in itself is mind-blowing. because it is so not of us. we are so very ordinary. tonight is so very ordinary. ian is napping. the rain is pouring outside and the washer downstairs is spinning. the poor clothes in the washer probably won't get switched until I get home from work tomorrow. and by that time, they'll need to be re-washed. i can't see the floor of our bedroom, our laundry completely taking over. i'm putting off making dinner, even though all it requires is putting leftovers on a plate and into the microwave.

and yet, in the midst of this ordinary, the weight of what has happened today through this video and what will continue to happen pummels me. it pummels me because what god is accomplishing through our afflictions is happening at the same time that we are sinning. What a great divide that crosses. What wretched sinners Ian and I are, and yet somehow, He uses us to magnify himself. Our sin does not prevent god's glory on display.

on days like this, we get just a glimpse of this promised eternal weight of glory, as undeserved as it is, and it is enough to bring us to our knees. how great this weight will be in heaven!

one thing that we love and hold so close on days like this is that our dad, steve, now feels and knows that weight of glory. he prepared us so well and we can't wait to see him again. one of the biggest impressions on my heart the few days after he died was that he was seeing fully. and that he would encourage us to press on, because it is beyond worth it.

Ian and Larissa you reminded me today what is a God-centered marriage is all about. Its not about us its, about glorifying through our marriage. Thank you so much for sharing these thoughts and I would hope to meet you guys sometime in the future. Blessings from Puerto Rico - Luis B.

Your story brought me to tears today as I sat and watched the video. And I can't wait to show it to my wife this evening! Thank you for being such an amazing example of God's kindness and goodness through such trials.

Our whole family is touched by your story. God is awesome! Your response to your video being shown is so well put. Despite ourselves God is still using us to draw others to himself ~ that His glory would be made known. Thank you!

God is SO good. Your video has touched the lives of countless brothers and sisters even within my small community. I have seen it posted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr. It is by His grace that we are able to celebrate your marriage and commitment to each other.

Thank you for being salt and light in the world - for living lives that seek to glorify Him above all.

Wow wow wow... I'm struggling to find words!! Your story is not like anything I have ever read or watched before. I watched it today on my lunchbreak in work and literally sat in tears my heart was moved so much. I am so blessed by it. I'm humbled by your humbleness... God used this to shine His light into my dark prideful heart. Be encouraged because God has used it to bless, encourage, rebuke and challenge me all at one time.

Thank you for sharing and thank you for your honesty.

May our Great God continue to bless you as you both serve Him and as you both continue to present yourselves as a living sacrifice which I'm sure is pleasing to Him.

This story reached me in Northern Ireland and I will continue to tell others.

I've been completely overwhelmed after seeing this video this morning. Thank you for showing us what love really is. Thank you for your humility and beautiful story. You are truly a God-viewing telescope for the eyes of the world.

Tears ran as I gave God glory listening to your testimony today ... and I yes, if trust must be earned, hasn’t God unequivocally earned our trust with the bark on the raw wounds, the thorns pressed into the brow, your name on the cracked lips?

How will He not also graciously give us all things He deems best and right? (Romans 8:32) He’s already given the incomprehensible.

Christ our Crossbeam.

And when I saw your thankfulness board? I cheered through the tears! He is always worthy of our thanks and He is enough and the counting of all blessings is ultimately summed up in One. Christ alone!

On a farm in Canada tonight --- I whisper thanks to God for the testimony of your lives...

Larisa and Ian,Your story is altogether provoking, challenging, hope-giving, life-altering, extraordinarily beautiful, and God-magnifying! Thank you for sharing with the world your daily, humble dependence and trust in our awesome God! I am adding both of you in my prayer journal. God bless you and keep you. Jill

Larissa, when I woke up this morning and watched the video, I cannot tell you how much of an encouragement you were to me. I've been thinking about suffering and choosing to suffer for Christ's sake. Often times you hear of tragedy like this hitting after a couple is married, but the thing I find remarkable about you is that while you still had a legitimate way out, you still chose to enter the path of suffering. And like you said, you and Ian are still sinful, but God does not let that get in the way of magnifying Himself through you. I pray that God might continue to send you His gift of affliction that you might continue to "fill up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions," that you may endure so as to build your character and bring you hope, which never disappoints, that the "tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold which perishes through fire--may result in praise and honor and glory in Christ Jesus," and that you may enjoy the "peaceful fruit of righteousness." For if in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we of all people ought to be pitied, but since we believe in a resurrection, we rejoice even in our sufferings! Thanks!

Ian & Larissa -I am sitting here absolutely weeping after watching your story (now flying about the interwebs at mind-boggling speed). I am the mother of a 6 y.o. girl with cerebral palsy. We chose her to be our daughter 5 years ago and she is amazing. Already her little heart for the Lord challenges us. I never really thought that she might not get married (probably sounds weird, but I guess I just kind of figured she would - God gave her a family, why not a husband as well?) But, in the last week, God has really confronted me with the reality of what that might look like for her and how fiercely we need to be praying for her (and our other 2 children). So, I googled and found your blog and had to write. I also so hear you when you say "We're ordinary". I get it. God asks you to do this thing, this one little thing and you take a step, then another and all of a sudden you have this crazy amazing story, but you want to scream that this is what God does - just takes ordinary people and does crazy things with them to bring Himself glory! I want people to know it has nothing to do with me, nothing to do with my husband. At all. We just put one foot in front of the other and God did all the awesome stuff. Anyway, I'm rambling and possibly not even making sense, but I love your hearts and I love your story. And God is being glorified in it! (I know you moderate your comments, so feel free to keep this one to yourself if you choose - I just had to write)

I had never heard of you both until the Desiring God post today. I watched it this morning, cried, and shared it on facebook. It has impacted my whole day and how I view God. I cannot believe how incredible our God is and the kindness He has shown through you both. I have added you to my prayer list and am so encouraged by the faith that you both display. May you continue to glorify God as you live out your normal lives lived for such a magnificent God!!

I have been following your blog since the beginning and I want you to know that your story is truly inspirational to me. I may not have made the amazing connection to God that you both have made but I feel a little bit closer with every blog posting. Keep up the amazing work, the world is Blessed to have your story shared like this.

Just WOW!. Hearing what God is doing in your marriage is amazing. Christ who was strong became weak that we might be strong in him. I see God's glorious Gospel manifested in you two so clearly. I was provoked at work to pray for you two and came home a watched this video again just to see that God is so much more valuable than what we make him to be.

I pray that God would fully restore all that he intends to do in Ian. It is comforting and difficult to see that sometimes God uses events like this to draw us closer to himself, but WOW when he does it is amazing! If there is anything I can do May God reveal it to me. Bless Him and thank you for sharing this story with the world.

Saw your video through Desiring God today and a lot of my facebook contacts have shared it as well. I know thousands of people have been blessed and humbled by your story. I know I have been. My husband has cerebral palsy and I often struggle with the fact that I do so much around the house. And then I saw what your life is like and I was broken over my sinfulness. Thank you for sharing God's grace in your life.

Having followed the blog since just about the beginning, I have been struck and humbled over and over by your trust in the Lord and your willingness to accept all things as He ordains. I cried through the entire video.

I am so glad to see it posted at least 16 times on my Facebook newsfeed - to see something this God-glorifying go viral like this is amazing.

Thank you thank you thank you for your example. The Lord is so honored by you both.

Your story has humbled and blessed me and my husband beyond measure. Thank you so much for sharing your story. You will both be in our prayers from now on. In the words of Ian God IS awesome. Bless you both as you continue on your lifes journey together.

Just realized you like the "Children's Institute." Are either of your from ATI families? My siblings and I are the ones who recorded the 2 volumes of songs, first on cassette, and then when "modern technology" came out the institute burned them onto CDs.i.am.a.cna@windstream.net

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;..."~Rev 12:11 thank you so,for testifying to us all, through your amazing story of God's tender mercies. You have blessed me, a stranger, by allowing me to glimpse through the tiny window of my laptop into the beauty of what God is doing through you both. I am so convicted of my own ingratitude...planning to begin my own wall of gratitude. May the Lord continue to use you and Ian for His glory!

I have watched the video over 5 times today just by myself and then with others and then shared it over every social network I have. I cried every time. This is such a moving, beautiful, and touching story that puts the gospel on display. That is selfless and sacrificial love and I am completely blown away and amazed. You both remind me of Christ. In a world where marriages aren't taken seriously, this was a huge encouragement. Even though I'm single, I hope and pray that I can be even half the wife as you. Both of you are in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you for your servants' heart. I can't wait to spend eternity with you both in heaven. Soli Deo Gloria.

I am one of those who watched your video yesterday with my girls one on each side of me snuggled up on the couch. I was moved, encouraged and challenged by what I witnessed in your short video and I have thought of you both often since praying for God's blessing, grace and peace to be upon your home and marriage.

Your story is beautiful. The beauty God can bring forth from ashes astounds me every. single. time. This weekend my husband and I will celebrate 17 years of marriage. Although we have not experienced the hardships you and Ian have, we are not living the life we thought (and planned!) we would have 18 years ago! But through God's grace and truth, it is better than we could have ever hoped or asked for... God IS awesome. And we can trust Him. Thank you for having the courage to share your lives with us! Praying for you both.

It's taken me some time to think of what I want to say. I found your blog yesterday after seeing the video clip on Facebook (and then on the Desiring God website). Like so many others, I was deeply moved by your story. It is a very great gift of God to be able to desire His will even in the most difficult circumstances. What He has given you is so beautiful it defies expression, though no doubt it is painful. Perhaps you have never thought of yourselves in this way. I can assure you, many people see God's amazing grace, His inexpressible glory at work in your lives. Yesterday I was humbled by the reality that my life is really not all that difficult. Do I make the most of every opportunity to bring glory to God? I do not know that I can honestly answer yes, even though I deeply desire it. Your testimony is such a great motivator to people like myself. Your love in action is a better teacher than a thousand marriage books. You are living out Philippians 4:12 & 13 in the most visible way I can possibly imagine!I will probably never get to meet you in this life. But, that is ok. I will see you both in Heaven.

There are simply not enough words to say how impacting your story is. I'm captured by it, and God is speaking to me in my own loneliness and suffering. We have a family member who is suffering much like Ian. We are leaving our home to move states away to help him and his wife and his children. It is painfully stretching me, but I know today that as God has been faithful to you two, he will be faithful to us as well. May God continue to strengthen you with His grace and mercy to live and tell your story well. Thank you for sharing it with us.Many blessings, Karahttp://hisstorytotell.blogspot.com/

There are simply not enough words to express how impacting your story is. Thank you for sharing it and encouraing this tired, discouraged pilgrim in her journey to treasure Christ above all things. May God continue to give you strength, endurance, and grace to live and tell your story well. Thank you for sharing it with the world. To God be the glory!Many blessings, Karahttp://hisstorytotell.blogspot.com/

God is so good! Watched your story from China this morning. So thankful a friend posted it on Facebook for me to see. Even more thankful we serve a God that is way bigger than we could ever dream of! Praying for you right both right now.

I cannot begin to describe what your testimony through this video has done for me. I am overwhelmed with conviction over the selfish way I've treated my wife these past six years. Seeing how you have loved each other through such an enormous trial, lets me see just how ungrateful I've been for my marriage. My wife is currently divorcing me, because I never quite got what Christ's covenant love meant for a man and woman. Your story has filled me with extreme motivation to believe that it's never too late to be lovingly obedient. I will strive to love my wife the way you two love each other, until and if she does finally leave me. Please don't ever stop sharing your story. As long as you are able, and it doesn't overwhelm your daily life, please get this message out there - especially in America. our enemy is winning the battle over marriage in our country - your story is a mighty weapon against his campaign. May the Eternal God continue to lavish you both in love.

I just watched your story on facebook and was so blessed by it. I am 18 and waiting for that day when God will to lead me to my husband. I hope and pray that in that time and even now as I'm single and waiting that God will give me faith, strength, and patience as He has given you both. Thank you for your example and encouragement!

i found your video on facebook, and it has really impacted me. i am inspired to love my husband in a much more real and eternal way. thank you for setting my mind on Heaven today. i can't wait to see all your crowns and riches in Heaven... you will be richly richly rewarded. you have chosen the good part.

Thank you both for sharing your incredible testimony with the world. You have no idea how much my heart is blessed by you two. God is using you in BIG ways to glorify him and his love! I am telling everyone I know about your story and to pray for you both. The Lord is gracious to give us today to praise and worship him and tell everyone of his sacrifice for us! Thank you for reminding me of that sacrificial love through your story. You truly have blessed my life. In Christ, Jennifer Olson

Dear Ian and Larissa, I'm from Argentina (South America) and very grateful for watching and hearing your story. Your love for Ian is a portrait of 1 Chorintians 13's love.This saturday we are having our first small group meeting for marriages and I really want to share this video and your letter with the couples. You both are a blessing from God. Thank you.

I praise God for you and what He is doing through you and I know it is His power only because my husband Larry and I have a very similar story--car accident in 1977, leaving Larry with serious a closed head injury--no short term memory, poor, poor balance, and thinking skills.The difference is we had been married for 8 years, had two toddlers and I was pregnant with the third.It has been 35 years of trusting God and His sovereignty, His perfect plan for our lives and He has been faithful.If you go to my blog, you can read some of the most popular posts, I think they will be an encouragement to you.By the way, God doesn't lead many to do what he has enabled us to do. I've tried to find others through the years...God Bless you both!

Your story has touched me in a way I can't even express. Thank you for being God's love to others and being a living example of what unconditional love truly looks like. You both are a blessing, and I will be praying for Ian. Now following your site!

Dear Larissa, you have truly exemplified what it means to be a godly wife. I am humbled and amazed by your example, and have determined in my heart to be a better wife to my husband. To love unreservedly like you do, choosing to serve and to put him first just as Christ chose to serve and to die for us.

I am absolutely blown away by your love story. The way that Ian continues to love and to care for you has made me realise the need for the men in my community to learn from him - to realise that caring for your wife goes beyond material provision. It's about her soul, her heart ... what an invaluable lesson.

Truly thankful for how both of you exemplify what it means to have a Christ-like marriage.

I'm so glad your story is reaching multitudes. God has given you a unique story to exalt him.As I read Ian saying "I would do this (disability) all over again if I knew it would affect this many people. God is glorious," it's really hitting me that God had a special leadership role for Ian in the body of Christ, different from what we may have thought back then. Ian seemed to be the kind of guy who naturally was gifted with influencing people, but then his accident happened and God has taken that and multiplied it in such a powerful way, not decreased it. Thank you for how you are both exalting Christ in the roles God has given you. Thank you for persevering in the faith and treasuring Christ, taking each day and difficult moment at a time by the enabling grace of God.

Thank you so much for sharing your testimony of God's amazing glory. Your continued hope and trust in God is so evident in your lives, even amidst such great difficulties. I am humbled that His glory shines so brightly.

May His Word and Spirit continue to sustain you both through the ups and downs to come. Thanking God for you two :)

I am one of the 86,000. Praising God for you with tears! My husband teaches missionary and international kids at a school in Tanzania, and he has been working through a series on dating/love/marriage with his 9th graders. Tomorrow he will show your video in his class. Praying that it affects this next generation of young people (who so rarely understand true love) in a profound, deep, life-altering way. You both are a living testimony of God's grace. Thank you for trusting Him. Thank you for sharing your story.

I saw your story yesterday and was blown away by the love of Christ radiating through you both! Thank you for sharing your story! To God be the glory for all that is and will be done by the telling of your testimony!

Also, I was really hoping to find out you had a blog. Your home is adorable & I could tell you were someone I would enjoy getting to know through the blog world! :)

Thank you for sharing your story so openly. Your hearts encourage me greatly! I have been praying for you since I clicked on that link sent out by Desiring God. May the Lord uphold and strengthen you both. What an awesome God we serve! I will keep you in my prayers.

You are a living testimony that we truly are created in the image of God because we have the capability to love someone totally and unconditionally. May the Lord God continue to give you strength and joy in sharing with the sufferings of our Lord Jesus. Your marriage is truly inspiring to everyone not only to Christians.

My mom shared your video with me after she found it on Ann Voskamp's blog. Ian and Larissa, you are such an incredible witness to God's grace and his power in marriage! I have been married for over a year myself and although my husband does not have a disability, we have struggled in different ways in the last year. Through it all, God has proved faithful...and you guys are a testimony to that in a huge, incredible way.

I bawled almost the whole time I was watching the video, just overcome by, as Ian says, how awesome God is. Sharing it with as many people as I can. :)

Thank you so much for being willing to share your story! God's richest blessings to you both!! :)

I'm a Christian from Budapest, Hungary. Thank you so much for sharing your story. Yes, it had impact on many people even here, far away from you. You do exemplify the love of God to me, and you made me think about my love for God and for people. The Holy Spirit is speaking to us in many ways and it just chose to speak to me through your story. Your ordinary life and extraordinary love speak louder than many words...If not sooner...see you there...in Heaven.

The story of your lives is more than sweet and more than compelling...it is convicting. God is using you both for His work. The truths of God's love and how it should look between us humans is so strongly re-stamped upon my heart when I watch your video and read your blogs. I praise God for you both, Ian and Larissa. I thank Him for using for good, what the world would see as tragedy. He is really, really good at that!May you continue to be a beacon of God's love and truth and may many others be impacted by what God is doing in your lives. To His honor and glory!

I saw your video today and could not help tearing up at the beautiful love you two share. Seldom do I see a love as pure and honest as the love you have for each other, and I just hope that someday I can find someone who looks at me the way you both look at each other.

Really your testimony has been of utmost blessing to my life, I saw a video recently released by Desiring God on the beautiful love story of you and your husband from a biblical perspective.

You are a very virtuous woman, and I take this opportunity to encourage you to continue loving the passion with which God has put that special love to your husband. I am still single but the testimony of you really has encouraged me to wait quietly in my dear Lord, because true Christian love exists and you both are an example. Of course I want you to know I pray for you that God will give them the strength to go forward in faith, that the Lord will renew their strength as the buffalo every day.

You are an example for me Larissa and wholeheartedly tell you and to God be the glory you honor a woman of Proverbs 31.

Larissa and Ian. I am humbled!! Thank you so much. I am inspired by your love for Christ and your love for Each other. This is the gospel right before us. I pray my life will never be the same and I pray that others will see Christ through this. I also pray that the two of you will be filled with undying love that grows and grows. All glory to God! Thank you so much for letting us into your lives.

Thank you for being so willing to share your story. I am, in turn, sharing it with many. You bless me, challenge me and I know God is using your story. Extraordinary journey, couple, God and love! You two are going on my permanent prayer list.

Thanks Larrisa for sharing your heart! You and Ian are a beautiful couple! Loved watching the clips from your lovely wedding. God is truly reflected in your heart for Christ, and abiding in His strength, power and suffering has encouraged me greatly tonight! My hubs and I have been married 22 years ( yes we are old! :) ) And sweet hubs was diagnosed 2 years ago at age 46 with Alzheimer's. It's forever changed our marriage and how I view it. But your story and video was the encouragement I needed to continue to press on, and love him despite the challenges at hand! Some days are hard, but God is in it all. There are days I can say I am thankful for this detour in our journey....but then there are those other days! :) Thanks for sharing your heart! :) You are beautiful!

May the LORD be always your portion and your anchor. May HE always be your focus and your Rock. HE is glorified through your testimony. May HE give you daily all you need to carry on and to follow HIM wherever HE leads.

My little 11 year old daughter just watched this, happy tears in her eyes. Her comment "Wow, they really love each other." How amazingly meaningful life is with our precious Jesus as guide. May He continue to bless you and use your marriage to reflect His love to others. Bravo Ian and Larissa for walking closely with your Lord despite the difficulties that we were told we would face here on earth. Hugs, Rebekah

I've been challenged to pray more boldly for my son after watching your video. I want my son to be like Ian...to have his faith and joy in the Lord in spite of his disabilities. Thank you for so humbly sharing your story. You make Christ look so beautiful...

I started bawling as I was watching the video of you two. Such an encouragement to remember to see past our current trials and to focus on our lives from an eternal perspective. Will be keeping you two in my prayers.

I'm encouraged. I'm blessed. You've both been an example of Christ's love. Thank you for sharing your story with the world. You're marriage is true and pure and that's exactly what couples should base their own lives on. God, please send an abundance of blessings to this wonderful couple! I have shared your video with people on facebook, and in my office at the university I work for. It's going viral! Bless you all and your future. See ya in Heaven!

God is at work. I needed to see this. Getting too caught up in what I think Life should look like. Wishing and wavering at times. I thank God for a Godly husband who truly loves me, and is faithful. Iam blessed

Just want to say that since watching the video two days ago, I can't help but keep thinking of your incredible story. There are so many things that the story of your marriage has impressed upon my heart. Namely, that all things are possible with God..and the secular worlds so very little of "true love". Praying for Ian's health and your marriage. May God Bless you!!!

Thank you so much, for your wonderful testimony. Yours and Ian's story will not be soon lost on me. I will keep you two in my prayers. Our God is a great God! I cherish the ministry of John Piper and am so grateful he has shared you two with all of us.

Going to start reading TMM with the godly man I'm privileged to date as we think about our future.

Many prayers to you and Ian, God's rich blessings on your beautiful marriage.

Larissa and Ian...I have shared your video and your story with many of my friends. One set of friends was greatly encouraged by it. He was in a terrible motorcycle accident about a year and half ago, and like Larissa, she dropped everything to be with him in the hospital and through rehab and therapy. However, unlike you guys...they were not already believers. His accident changed their lives in more ways than we can count, but the most important thing that happened was their salvation. A few months ago I went out to lunch with them and he was telling me that he really wants to be a missionary. I told him, John...You're already a missionary...to all of your friends and family who knew you before Christ, and have seen the transformation He's made in you. I know they want to get married one day, but that is probably a good 5 years away. However, your story greatly encouraged them that it may truly be possible. After watching the video she said, "I want to meet them!"

Thank you for being vulnerable. For sharing your joys and heartaches. You will never have a full understanding of the impact your story has created. Praise the Lord!

My daughter sent me your video from the desiring God blog, the night before my husbands third eye surgery. Within 6 weeks he has had 3 retina detachments and 3 major surgeries, causing him to be extremely visually impaired. Your story was so encouraging because it reveals how the Lord working love through a marriage can overcome what appears to be very dark times. It encouraged us to know that we can get through this with the Lord. Thank you for sharing your story.

Dearest Larissa,You’ve make it seem so easy, but I know from experience it is not. I too live with a husband with a TBI and it’s the hardest trial I have ever been called to. It is a lifelong trial and I long for glory when my husband’s mind will be whole again. He was the greatest love of my life, when Christ should have been, and so by God’s grace and mercy for my soul, He took my idol off the shelf so that He Himself would be my greatest love. You have inspired me to keep running the race when I’ve been too exhausted to continue. May our precious Lord keep you and sustain you until the day of glory. God bless you dear sister.

You are so very beautiful - inside and out. The way that God is using you...working in you and through you is absolutely amazing. I have been so blessed by you and Ian and the rest of the family through the years. So inspired by your strength, your honesty, your devotion to God and to each other. Your video is incredible. I watch it and can't take my eyes away. Thank you for giving us this glimpse. It's not at all surprising that so many have watched it. God bless you!

I had the privilege of watching the video about you and your husband. It brought me so much hope-- hope in the depth, height and width of God's love. And how it flows through you and Ian...and can flow through me. We can be those vessels that allow such an amazing love flow from me to others. Almost 6 years ago now, I lost the man I loved to Cystic Fibrosis and one of the most amazing things he taught he was about love. The idea that I could show him, lavish him with love even when he didn't have the strength or breath to return it. I never had the opportunity to marry him and its one of my biggest regrets. We thought we had time. We thought there'd be healing. And it gives me such joy to see the courage and strength you both have. I can't thank you enough for sharing your story. It's encouraged me on many levels.

I watched your video a few weeks ago, and it literally brought me to tears. The way you describe what a marriage should be is what I discovered for myself a few months ago. Today I published a blog post about my experience of almost getting married without understanding the truths that you and Ian so beautifully exemplify.

From what I read about your career (I too have a corporate job) and your love of home and nature, I think we are, in some ways, kindred spirits. Thanks for sharing your life and being a wonderful role model for the true meaning of marriage. I will keep reading and praying for you both...

I saw the video a couple of weeks ago and have not been able to get you guys out of my head. I was elated to hear this past week that you have a blog. I am your newest follower! You guys are simply amazing and I want you to know that I pray for you often.